


Chosen By the Gods

by chaoticlogic



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, One-Sided Attraction, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-13 15:43:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20584967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaoticlogic/pseuds/chaoticlogic
Summary: One sided: Ubbe x ReaderFinal paring: Ivar x ReaderSummary: You’ve known your entire life you were going to end up with Ubbe and be queen of Kattegat. When Ubbe announces his engagement to Margrethe, you are heartbroken. Fleeing Kattegat you take refuge with  your life long friends Hvitserk and Ivar for comfort. Or is it more than just for comfort?





	Chosen By the Gods

Ever since you were a child you’ve been told you would one day be queen of Kattegat. The seer had foretold it. So it was no surprise to your parents when you became best friends with Ubbe, the eldest son of Ragnar. Well the second eldest son… Bjorn had not been seen in years and therefore your parents were not concerned with him. Afterall, you were going to marry Ubbe and become queen and nothing as trivial as rightful heirs would stand in your way. It was foretold. 

So you had spent your entire life dreaming of marrying Ubbe. You loved Ubbe, he was perfect. He was handsome, strong, skilled, and kind. He was a great viking and an even better man, but most importantly, you loved him. You had been in love with him since before you could remember. He had always been there for you and always so kind. You adored him. So whenever you were asked why you weren’t married you, you would say.

“He’s just not ready for commitment just yet. I know it’s going to happen someday though. 

At least you thought that until he announced his engagement to Margarithe. You were shattered. 

This is how you found yourself on the last ship to the new land. Hvitserk and Ivar are there and you needed your friends now more than ever. You feel tears fall down your face as you remember the last thing that Ubbe said to you. 

“I wish you would be happy for me…” he mutters as you gaze out over the sea. 

You had taken refuge on the cliffs overlooking the sea, but he had found you nonetheless. 

“You could have at least had the balls to tell me before you told everyone else. I look like a fool,” your voice is ice cold and you miss his wince at your tone. 

“I did not know how… You’ve always had it in your head that we were to marry… I’ve just…never seen you like that.” 

You hold yourself together long enough to tell him one last thing. 

“You need to leave me right now…And never approach me again. You’ve lied to me my entire life and now I have to face this alone.”

All he does is offer a broken apology and leaves. 

You gaze out to sea and feel the wind on your face. You will be on land soon and someone will take you to the castle that Hvitserk and Ivar are staying in for the winter. You don’t really notice the journey there. You are still too lost in the life you will never lead with the man you will never have. Cursing your grief, you spend your time thinking about everything and nothing. 

You finally get to the caste and marvel at its grandeur. It is large and grand, but drafty and cold as the wind whips down the hallways. The boys are out on a hunt and you are informed they would be back soon. You’ve missed your friends of course. You had not seen any of Hvitserk or Ivar since they left for the raids across the sea almost 2 years ago. 

You end up making yourself comfortable next to the fire in one of the halls and drinking mulled wine as you relax into the plush chairs. It is a few hours later that the familiar voices of your old friends greet you. You’ve heard their voices many times before but they have never affected you like they do this time. 

You hear Hvitserk breath out your name as he turns the corner and sees you. Ivar is right behind him. 

You look up at them before you feel yourself break down into sobs that wrack your body. You had been holding yourself together for so long that you weren’t prepared for the moment you saw them. Your friends, the boys who had been your brothers growing up, your safe space. 

They rush to you and you feel strong arms wrap around you as you sob. 

“Who hurt you?!” you hear Ivar demand, “I will kill anyone who dares to hurt my dove.” 

“Tell us what is wrong… we want to help…” Hvitserk mutters as he rocks you back and forth attempting to comfort you. 

The only thing that you can do is sob. 

Hvitserk pulls you into his lap and curls himself around as he pets your hair. You’ve always been like a sister to him, and in the lifetime that he’s known you, he’s never seen you like this before. 

An hour later you sit with silent tears running down your face as you gaze into the fire. Ivar ordered your favorite meal to be prepared and he sits beside you gazing into the fire unsure of how to comfort you.

“Will you not tell us who hurt you?” he asks quietly. 

“Ubbe… He’s marrying…”

“Margarethe,” Hvitserk says as he gazes past you into the flames. 

“You are too good for him anyway. He never deserved you!” spits Ivar in disdain glaring angrily into the flames. 

“I love him…” you whisper out. 

“You will be fine Dove,” you hear Ivar murmur. 

You don’t say anything back, you just scoot closer to him and lay your head on his shoulder. After a moment’s hesitation you feel his arm go around you before he pulls you closer to him. 

Over the next few weeks you notice that Hvitserk is sent out for supply runs, scouting missions and an assortment of other things while Ivar keeps you entertained. You don’t think much of it at first, it’s winter and you fall into a simple routine with the man you’ve known all your life. You had always been one of the only people to actually spend time with Ivar when he was young. When the two of you were young you would play games and would often spend time reading to him to help pass the time and ease his pain. The two of you end up spending much of your time together in the same way. Ivar would often pull you aside to play games rich with strategic elements stating you are the only one who is ever a match for him. And sure enough, you’re the only one who has ever beaten him and continue to do so. It’s moments when the two of you are laughing in the candle light that you feel the lightest. 

“You cannot do that!” Ivar groans in exasperation as he falls back onto the pillows and blankets the two of you have piled onto the floor. 

“Of course I can! I just did!” you exclaim as you throw his piece at him. He throws his hand up swatting the piece harmlessly away. His smile almost hidden as he shakes his head. 

“That is not how the game works!” he insists. 

“Well I just decided it was!” you say with a laugh. 

He smirks at you and you notice the devious look in his eyes. You’ve seen that look before many times. 

“Ivar, no.”

“What?” he asks innocently as he begins to move cautiously towards you. 

“I said no!” you exclaim as you struggle to get up, your long dress making you trip over yourself. 

He lunges at you, making the board go flying, and pins you to the floor before he starts his assault. 

You throw your head back, happy the pillows are there to protect your head from the stone floor, and begin to laugh. 

“I see you’re still ticklish in the same spots.”

“STOP!” you squeal. 

“Not until you admit defeat!”

“NEVER!”

His ticklish assault continues until you are panting for breath and you’re squirming on the floor in abject agony. 

“What is going on in here?!” exclaims Hvitserk as he rounds the corner, his booming voice enough to halt you both. 

You pant trying to catch your breath as Hvitserk fixes Ivar with an amused but stern gaze. 

“Ivar were you just not going to let her breath?”

“She was fine! You know I would never do anything to hurt her,” Ivar defends, looking affronted. 

“Still! You are not children anymore!”

“Hvitserk it’s fine…” you say having sufficiently caught your breath as you giggle at him. Ivar can’t help gazing at you. Your flushed cheeks and happy smile making him feel lighter than he has in years. You’ve always been a light in his life. His companion when he was younger. He recalls the tongue lashing you gave Margrethe when she had spoken about his inability to pleasure a woman. You had defended him, and comforted him during that time in his life. And despite everything he’s done to push you away, you simply roll your eyes at him, tell him to get over it and you’ll see him in the morning.

Ubbe is not good enough for you and never will be. You deserve someone who will love you properly. Besides, you are meant to be a queen and he is meant to be a king, clearly the gods have deemed the two of you perfect for each other. 

“He does not always know his own strength…” Hvitserk says, looking worried as he sends Ivar a knowing look. 

You notice the way that Ivar tenses and the way his mask slips back into place. You reach over and place a hand on his broad shoulders, vaguely wondering when the boy you knew became a man. 

“I appreciate your concern Hvitty… but I trust Ivar. He’s never once hurt me in the past and I trust him to not start now.” 

You feel the tension leave his body, but the look he gives you is hard to read. He straightens himself up and you can practically feel his arrogance ooze off of him. This always happens when you side with him over his brothers. 

“You heard her… She trusts me!”

You giggle before you squeeze his shoulder. He turns his head towards you and sends you a boyish smile. 

“Alright… well I’m going to bed! Good night!” you say before you get up and head off to bed. A chorus of good nights following along behind you. 

You miss the warning look that Hvitserk sends Ivar, “She is still heartbroken over Ubbe, what are you doing?!” 

“She is better off without him! And nothing that you need to concern yourself with brother!”

“You don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing? You keep sending me off to keep me away from her! We have been friends our whole lives! You cannot keep me from her just because you feel like this is your shot with her!”

“This is my shot with her!” Ivar insists, “All my life she’s followed along behind Ubbe, claiming they are to be married! I love her! I’ve always loved her! And every time she declared her love for our brother, my heart broke! Now! Now it is my time to convince her that I’m the better choice! That I can make her happy in ways he would never be able to. And if you think anything is going to get in my way…”

“I am not trying to get in your way! She is my friend too! I care for her like a sister! I always have! Who do you think comforted her when Ubbe would go off and sleep with other women? Huh? Who do you think she ran to when her heart was broken? When our brother, knowing her feelings, would lie to her face to save his own ass and she knew! She has always been patiently waiting for Ubbe to love her. And it has broken her heart more times than I can count. And every single time her heart has been broken, who do you think held her when she cried? I did! I watched her deal with every lie she was told. She is strong, but she is not invincible! If you intend to love her, brother, do so the way she deserves. I will not be forgiving if she continues to run to me after that little speech you just gave me.” 

“But you would forgive Ubbe?” Ivar asks with malice. 

“Ubbe has never claimed to love her… I’ve never forgiven him for what he has done to her though…”

Ivar nods in understanding, but before he bids his brother good night, “I will love her properly, as she deserves to be loved, you have my word brother. I will also stop sending you out on missions. Clearly, you have been a larger part of her life than I ever knew.”

With that the brothers bid one another good night. 

The next day, for the first time in weeks, Hvitserk is at breakfast with you and Ivar. 

“What are your plans for today?” you ask the two of them. 

“Nothing at the moment,” says Hvitserk. 

“Can we go for a ride? I haven’t been out of the castle a lot since I got here!”

Hvitserk smiles at you, “Of course! I’ll have the horses saddled, we’ll go after breakfast!”

Your giddy with excitement, Hvitserk has always been one of your best friends, and spending time with him is therapeutic. 

It’s hours later when you are up on a ridge overlooking the sea that Hvitserk asks you if you have properly mourned.

“I’m trying to… It’s just hard sometimes to realize that this life I’ve planned, will be something entirely different. I always thought that he would settle down with me. That if I was just patient enough that one day he would realize that he loves me. That I’m the perfect person for him.”

“Why do you love Ubbe though?” Hvitserk asks, “he’s never given you the attention that you deserve.”

“He’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a man… He’s strong, intelligent, kind and viking through and through. He’s always been good to Ivar, even when others weren’t.”

“And what does Ivar have to do with this?”

“Everyone was always cruel to him and so afraid of his temper. He just wants love and acceptance like everyone else.”

“You know he killed Sigurd right?”

You just nod as you gaze out to the water. 

“I am not surprised that Ivar and Sigurd’s lifelong battle ended in death. They loved each other as family does, but held no affection for one another. It was only a matter of time before one of them broke. I am also unsurprised it was Ivar.”

“So you are okay with it?”

“How am I supposed to feel about it? I’ve always known what Ivar is capable of, I’ve always known that his anger is a fine line that crosses into dangerous territory sometimes.”

“And you do not fear him?”

“Do you fear him?”

“Sometimes…”

You nod, “Then you do not know him as I do…”

“Oh? And how do you know him?”

“I know him as the boy who would beg me to play games with him as a child, because all of the children refused to play with him. I know him as the young man who would lay with his head in my lap as I read to him and hide his tears as those around him would mock and ridicule him. I know him as the man who would move mountains to see me smile when I had a bad day, because I was there for him when no one else was. Love, Hvitserk, is a far more powerful an emotion than anger.”

“Do you love him?”

“He is my good friend…” you say as you gaze off into the setting sun. 

“That doesn’t answer my question…”

“Of course I love him, you know we have been friends for many years.”

“Not that kind of love…”

“I love Ubbe…” but the way you say that, is more as if you are convincing yourself than Hvitserk and even you know that you can only lie to yourself for so long. 

When you get home that night you find Ivar sitting in a chair by the fire looking as though he would happily commit murder at any moment in time. 

“Did you have a good time today?” you can tell he is mocking you the moment he opens his mouth. 

Ahh… of course… how could you forget how jealous and possessive the youngest Ragnarson is?

“Yes, I was able to explore the countryside. It’s quite beautiful.”

“So you and my brother had fun…”

“Yes, we did.”

“I see…”

“What Ivar? What do you see?”

“How easy it is for you jump from one brother to the next…You couldn’t have Ubbe so now you will just take what you can get?”

“Oh… so that’s what we’re going to do tonight…. We’re going to fight…” you say leveling your eyes at him. You watch as he rolls his jaw to release the tension. 

He narrows his eyes at you, “Just try to keep your legs closed long enough to get over Ubbe before you sleep with Hvitserk.”

You scoff, “Are you quite done?”

“Did you ever even love Ubbe? Or did you just want to be queen?”

“Why are you being like this?” you ask as tears prick at the corners of your eyes. Without another word you turn and rush off down the hallway to you room. 

Ivar does not see you for days.

“Ahhh…. So this is where you’ve been?” questions Hvitserk behind you almost a week later. You have been sneaking around town to avoid the boys. 

You turn around and gaze at him, “So you found me…”

“He’s worried sick, you know?”

“Who?”

“You know who…” he says with an exasperated sigh. 

“He shouldn’t have said that… I haven’t decided to forgive him.”

“You always forgive him…”

“Well I’m not ready to forgive him…” you say petulantly. 

“Why not? He’s said worse things to you than that and you always just brush it off. I’ve been more angry at him for the things he’s said to you during his tantrums than you have.”

“He didn’t mean it those other times. You have to know when he means it.”

“So he meant it this time?”

“Yes… he meant it this time.”

“What did he say to you? He refuses to tell me.”

“He asked me if I ever loved Ubbe or if I just wanted to be queen…”

“And that upset you?”

“Well it made me wonder… did I ever love Ubbe?”

“I’ve asked you that countless times and you’ve never been mad at me.”

“No…You’ve asked me why I loved him, you’ve never asked me if I loved him… and now I’m wondering if I ever did…or if I was just told to…”

“What do you mean?”

“My parents thought that Ubbe would be the next kind of Kattegat, he is the eldest of Ragnar and Aslaug, so it’s only natural he would one day take the throne. From the moment I can remember my parents groomed me to be queen. They said that the Seer foretold it. They told me that Ubbe and I would fall in love and get married. As I grew older, it just seemed like that was the natural flow of things. I developed a crush on Ubbe and it was just the will of the gods. He would fall in love with me and we would be married and I would be queen. Clearly this is to be my life. However… did I ever even love Ubbe? He would run off and leave Ivar and I behind, and the two of us would make up our own games. When we got older, he paid less and less attention to me, and when we would talk it was forced. He didn’t want to talk to me and we had nothing to talk about. Even telling him about my day would leave him wanting to run from the conversation. We’ve never connected on a personal level, we have nothing in common and he has no interest in me. Did I ever even love him, or did I just think I didn’t have a choice?”

Hvitserk looks at me as if he doesn’t know what to do or say. 

“So you don’t love Ubbe?”

“I don’t think so…”

“Who do you love?”

“Ivar… I think I’ve loved him… He was the one who I would seek out when I was sad or bored. We would sit for hours just talking or playing silly games. In fact, did you know that we used to sit and make up stories about the people we saw. They would become characters in our little sagas, and we would laugh about it for days. Sometimes if we told particularly funny stories, anytime we would see that person we would fall into a fit of giggles.”

“That’s why you two would just randomly start laughing for no reason!? We all just thought you were mad!”

You just smiled at him, “We would sit for hours at the Blacksmith’s shop and he would forge weapons and I would fasten jewelry. He used to bring me back jewels from the market for me to turn into pieces that matches my dresses.”

“So let me get this straight… You’ve been in love with Ivar not Ubbe this entire time… and you just didn’t know it?”

“When you put it like that…”

“I’m going to kill you both….”

“Us both?”

“He’s been pining for you since we were fifteen!”

“But…”

“NO! Go find him because I can’t deal with his moping any longer! If you don’t talk to him about your feelings, I will be forced to put you both on a ship and set you out to sea until you realize you’ve been in love with one another for an entire decade!”

“Alright… Fine! I’ll go find him…” you grumble under your breath at the disgruntled brother. 

When you find him you can his anger radiating off of him. He’s sneering at a guard before he sees you and begins to make his way towards you.

“You have been avoiding me for days!” he exclaims as he rushes towards you, anger in every step. 

“I need you to follow me.”

“What? No! You need to tell me why you were avoiding me!”

“I was thinking… Now come on!”

With that you turn and stomp away fully expecting the man behind you to follow after you. You can hear him grumbling under his breath and the heavy clunk of his crutch. 

“Slow down woman!” you hear him yell in anger, scaring the English men, women and children in the marketplace. 

“Stop shouting… you’re scaring them!” you exclaim watching as mothers pulled their children closer to them at your tone. They may not know what you are saying, but they know it is dangerous to take such a tone with the ruthless Viking. 

“They should be scared!”

You turn abruptly to him and place you hand on his chest you lips mere inches from his, “You need to learn to lead with more than just fear, Ivar. Kindness will get you farther in life than you think it will.” 

He brings his head down closer to you, “Perhaps that is why you did not end up with Ubbe…”

“Kindness?”

“He is already kind… Perhaps your kindness is needed somewhere else…”

“Perhaps…” you say as you pull away from him, just as he leaned in to you. 

You continue down the street, and he is grumbling even more behind you. Finally, you stop outside of a blacksmith’s shop. 

“What are we doing here?!”

You turn towards him and walk into the shop, startling the man that had been working just moments ago. Ivar walks in after you, now more so out of curiosity. 

“When was the last time we people watched?”

“What does that have to do with anything?!”

You can see he is getting frustrated. 

“Because it’s something only we do together.”

He stops and gazes back at you, “I don’t understand…”

“When we were younger, do you remember how we used to just sit for hours and talk about nothing? How we would make up stories about the townspeople? How we would laugh at the silly things we would make up?”

“Of course I remember…” he says it so quietly you almost don’t hear him. 

“You are the only person I’ve ever laughed like that with…”

“I am?”

“Yes… Ubbe never loved me… He didn’t even take the time to know me truly. And here you were carving my favorite animals out of wood to make little charms. Or sitting with me when I didn’t feel good, or was sad…. Or just laughing with me when we were happy. You would encourage me to do whatever I wanted to do, no questions asked no boundaries. You would ask me about my day when we settle down to read at night and you would listen. You listened to everything I had to say and knew my every whim. When I was down you would have the kitchens make my favorite cake. You would shower me with gifts when merchants would come into town. And I was so stupid and so blind…. How could I love your brother, when I loved you this entire time and I was just too stupid to know it.”

“You…love me?”

“Yes Ivar… I love you.”

The words are scarcely out of your mouth before he practically stumbles over to you in his haste to kiss you. His arms wrap around you and you feel his lips on yours and it is what Valhalla must feel like. When he finally breaks away he just gazes down at you with love and adoration. 

“Only you… would drag me all the way to a damn blacksmith to give me that speech…”

“Well that’s not the only reason I brought you here…”

“What is the other reason…”

You smile as you walk over to the blacksmith and politely hold out your hand to him. He pulls something from a pouch and drops it into your hand. In your hand is a necklace made from the finest silver of a pair of wolves. 

He chuckles as he gazes down at the pendant in his hands. 

“Why a wolf?”

“Because it’s your favorite animal to craft… Do you have any idea how many idols of wolves you’ve given me over the years?”

“How many?”

“More than I can count…”

“So you wanted to give me one?”

“I wanted you to know that you aren’t alone…you’ve never been alone… I’ll always be with you…Just like you’ve always been with me…”

He takes a step towards you, “I can’t wait to make you my wife…” he murmurs before he leans down and presses his forehead to yours. 

“Hmmm… that does have a nice ring to it…”

“Hmmm… yes… so does queen…”

“I don’t care about being queen Ivar… I only care about being with you…”

“And I, you…”


End file.
